If you know Mr. Double Up, you know he does not eat anything green. And if you know me, you know I have devoted my life to sneaking vegetables into his menu. This week, it is kale in all its splendor.
I had never tried kale until 3 years ago, when my gardening friends pressured me into growing it. I love the stuff now, although I don't really eat it the way normal people do. I don't grow it any more either, because my friend at Scott Howard Farms grows more delicious kale than I have ever produced. Maybe I like it now because this stuff does not bear any resemblance to that pale icky stuff in the grocery store. Anyway....
I always remove the leaves from the ribs (which are chewy and indigestible)
Raw Kale Salad (no photo, because, well....I ate all of it)
4 cups raw kale leaves (remove center rib)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup craisins
Julienne the kale leaves.
Sprinkle on salt and olive oil, and mix thoroughly. I do this by hand to make sure every bit is coated in oil and salt.
Pour lemon juice over, add craisins and stir.
You can eat the salad at this point, and I do. But it will continue to get better in the refrigerator. I find it hits its flavor peak at about 1-2 days.
Kale Smoothies
1 c frozen berries
1 c hibiscus tea (or any juice you may have)
1 c yogurt
1 c kale leaves (rib removed)
1/4 c honey, or to taste
In a powerful blender, add berries and liquid. Blend until smooth. Add the yogurt, kale and sweetener and blend. I vary the fruit and liquid to whatever I have in the house.
The one on the right belongs to Mr. Double Up, I had to use less kale for his in order to trick him into drinking it.
Kale and Sausage Soup
1 lb. kielbasa
4 cups kale leaves, ribs removed, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes
4 c chicken broth
(like everything I cook, this soup changes depending on what I have in the house - could be kale, could be collards. Could be carrots, could be yams. Could be kielbasa, could be Italian)
Cook the kielbasa and slice into bite size pieces. Put in crockpot.
In the same pan, cook the onions and carrots until onions are soft. Add to crockpot.
Add kale, tomatoes, and chicken broth to crockpot (you know you take the tomatoes out of the can, right ?)
If you are running behind, cook on high for two hours, or until the kale can no longer be clearly identified as a vegetable your husband would immediately reject. If you have time, cook it on low for four or more hours.
Salt and pepper to taste. Server with a dollop of sour cream on the top.
Right into the pot - at this point, Mr. Double Up would not be fooled and would refuse to eat it.
After cooking, Mr. Double Up is suspicious, but it has meat and sour cream, so how bad can it be....
